Improvement in book-supports



" einen adatta @anni dition S. MILLETT THOMPSON, OE PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

Letters Patent No. 112,984, dated March 21, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOK-SUPPORTS.

The Schedule referred to ln these Letters Patent and making part of the Bande.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S. Mrnnn'r'r THOMPSON, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of .Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Hand Book-Rest, designed for holding a book by a person seated, or for position upona table for holding matter to be copied; and I do hereby declare that the following is a clear, true, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the drawing accompanying and forming a part' of this specification.

Figure 2 represents-in perspective, one of my bookrests with abook in position.,

Figure 2 represents the same without the book, in

which the details of construction are more fully ex-y hibited'. A is a base, constructed, by preference, of several diverging arms, so that it may readily rest upon the lap ot' the person using it.

B is the standard, securely xed upon thebase A;

For ordinary purposes it should be, say, twelve inches in height.

G is a cross-bar, hinged to the top of the standard B. To this bar the skeleton frame is attached, on which the book is placed. f

This frame consists of a central vertical wire, d,

passing through the bar Oat the` center.

On each side are side brace-wires, e and e', which, being soldered at the top of the central wire d, extend outward and downward to the ends of the cross-bar, through it, and then downward and inward toward the central wire, where theyintersect and join a cross brace-wire, f.

rIhe ends of these side brace-wires turn np, so as to form holding-surfaces, g, for a book when in position.

To the lower end of the central vertical wire d springngers, h and h', are soldered. v

A thumb-piece, 7;,extends through the springs of the two ngers h and grasps each at a point slightly above the coils, and is so set that depression of they thumb-piece raises the spring fingers. l

Attached to and sliding upon the vertical wire d, above the cross-bar O, is a holding-finger, p, which., by being placed -in proper relation with the book at the top end, securely holds itin position at whatever angle the book-rest may be held.

Extending along thewhole length of the cross-bar O is a cord, m, attached at one end,and passing downward through a hole at the-other end is provided with holding-finger p, spring fingers h, and thumb-piece k,"

all constructed and arranged as and for the purposes specied.

S. MILLETT THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS A. DANIEL, D. C. MoUL'roN. 

